Tie elevating tongs



y 1939. c. F. PACKER TIE ELEVATING TONGS Filed Aug. 25, 1957 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS C /j/cz e [7 Pare/re)" Patented May 2, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE TIE. ELEVATING TONGS Clyde F. Packer, Marysville, Kans.

Application August 23, 1937, Serial No. 160,518

1 Claim.

My invention relates to tongs and more particularly to tongs for elevating railroad ties for the purpose of tamping ballast thereto.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide tongs which are quickly attached to railroad ties for elevating the same equipped with means for automatically operating the tongs to maintain the ties in elevated position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the above described character equipped with means whereby the tongs are quickly disengaged from a tie.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the above described character having tie gripping arms and means coacting therewith to facilitate positioning of the arms about a tie.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, appended claim and annexed drawing.

Referring to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my invention illustrated in connection with a section of rail and tie.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

In practicing my invention, I provide toggle tongs comprising a pair of crossed tie gripping arms 5 pivoted together intermediate of the ends thereof by means of a pivot bolt 6 having a coacting nut I. Embracing said arms at the pivoted jointure thereof is a strap or yoke 8 secured to the pivot bolt 6 by means of the coacting nut I. The yoke is sufficiently spaced from said arms to permit free movement of the arms about the pivot bolt, The pivot bolt 6 extends quite a distance beyond the nut 'I for a purpose hereinafter described.

The upper end of the arms are pivotally connected to a lever 9 by means of links III. The links I I] have pivotable connections I I and I2 with the arms and lever respectively. The pivot connection with the lever consists ofa hook formed on the end of the lever detachably secured within registering openings formed in the upper ends of the links III. The pivotable connections of the links with the upper ends of the arms comprise pins secured within registering openings formed in both the ends of the arms and links at the lower ends thereof. Additional openings I3 are formed in the ends of the links H] for permitting adjustment of the pivotable connections II. The

lower ends of the arms 5 are formed with pointed sections I4 for engaging and penetrating the tie l5 connected to the rail I6.

Positioned on the rail I6 subjacent the lever B is a fulcrum member II having offset end sec- 5 tions I8 engaging a portion of the lever adjacent the tongs. The lever 9 is of tapered configuration to provide sufilcient weight at the outer end thereof to actuate the tongs. The outer face I9 of the lever is inclined to permit the lever, when disen- 10 gaged from the tongs, to be used as a tamping or other suitable tool.

Due to the weighted end of the lever 9, the opposite end is caused to fulcrum on the fulcrum member I1 and actuate the tong assembly to move 15 the lower ends of the arms 5 towards each other. A tie loosely secured to the rail I6 between said ends will be engaged by the sections I4 and elevated to abut the lower face of the rail I6, due to the pressure exerted by the lever 9 as heretofore described.

When the lower ends of the arms 5 are being positioned about the side walls of a tie, the lower face of the yoke 8 and outer end of the bolt 6 will engage the upper face of the tie and coact therewith to cause the lower ends of the arms 5 to move apart when pressure is applied to the upper ends of said arms, thus permitting the tongs to be adjusted to a gripping position on the tie, thereby resulting in a considerable saving of time. When it is desired to disengage the tongs from the tie, slight pressure may be exerted on the upper ends of the arms 5, thereby effecting a movement of the lower ends away from each other. In this position, the upper part of the tong assembly is canted outwardly to effect engagement of the outer end of the pivot bolt 6 with the upper face of the tie, whereby the lower ends of the arms may be moved upwardly above the upper face of the tie upon continued downward movement of the upper part of the tong assembly.

In elevating ties for tamping ballast thereunder, it is desirable that both ends of the tie be elevated in order that ballast may be properly tamped thereunder to effect an even distribution of the ballast. Therefore, I provide for the use of a like assembly to be attached to the opposite end of the tie adjacent the opposite rail. Furthermore, to prevent the levers 9 from interfering with each other, the tong assembly is secured to the tie adjacent the inner faces of the rails having the levers extending outwardly and laterally of the track.

My invention lends itself to economy of operation due to the fact that one operator may attach the same and be free to carry on the tamping operation, Many other devices require that one operator be used for maintaining the device in elevated position and another operator for tamping the ballast. Also, my device, by reason of the fact that the sections I4 engage the side walls at the tie, permits of the free packing or tamping of a ballast thereunder without interference from parts extending under the tie. In devices where certain parts extend under the tie, it is often necessary to elevate the tie slightly after the camping operation in order to disengage said parts, thereby resulting in a disturbance of the ballast. My device is especially useful in connection with tracks over which are operated trains at a high rate of speed and/0r frequent intervals, In instances of this character, my device as heretofore described is quickly removable, thus eliminating the use of flagmen stationed at locations to slow up or stop the trains while devices of other constructions are being removed.

It is to be distinctly understood that various changes and modifications in construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended claim.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A device of the character described, comprising, a pair of crossed arms having upper and lower ends, said lower ends fashioned with tie penetrating sections, a pair of links having upper and lower ends, said lower ends of said links adjustably pivoted to the upper ends of said arms, a pivot pin connecting said arms together between the upper and lower ends of the latter, a yoke subjacent said pin and pivotally connected to said arms by said pin, a lever pivoted to the upper ends of said links and connecting the latter together, a fulcrum member on said lever adapted to engage a rail adjacent said links, said pin fashioned with a section extending beyond said arm and adapted to engage said tie and coact with the latter and said yoke to move the lower ends of said arms apart to facilitate attachment and detachment of said tie penetrating sections with said tie when pressure is applied to said arms by said lever.

CLYDE F. PACKER. 

